Injured champions seek redemption

This year’s championship season was bittersweet for three Cavalier athlete’s sidelined with injuries. Kyle Speed, David Yadrich and Abdul Deen’s untimely injuries forced the whole team to step up their game and become more self-reliant.

“This team finds a way [to win],” said Mike Jeffers, head coach, “Losing Speed, Deen and Yadrich was very unfortunate, but it’s probably what morphed us into a championship team.” A player never hopes to sit out games due to injury, especially during a championship season, but these three players sought to gain something from their unfortunate experience and contribute to the team anyway they could.

“I still thought we had a shot for the championship…I didn’t feel like them losing me was going to be the end of the season,” said Abdul Deen, freshman forward. “I think it made other people work harder seeing that there wasn’t going to be as many people coming off the bench. I’d rather have been on the court winning the championship but I guess everything
happens for a reason and being on the bench I learned a lot.”

While thinking of the team first seems to come naturally for these three players, they also hold some guilt over their absence. “I felt like I was letting my team down,” said David Yadrich, sophomore guard. “I couldn’t even go[to the championship]… my back couldn’t do an eight hour bus ride.”

Following his torn ACL, Kyle Speed, sophomore guard, tried to contribute as much off the court as he would have on the court. “When I got hurt I thought it was bad…but I feel like it opened other opportunities for me,” Speed said. “Everything happens for a reason, my injury happened at this time for a reason, I was supposed to sit out and learn the game a little bit more…I got to learn from a championship coach and I get to come back and play for him next year.”

Sitting next to the coaches at every game and participating in every practice, Speed used his knowledge of the game and experiences to help bridge the gap between the players and coaches. Keeping track of possession stats and opposing defense formations, Speed was able to hone his skills and further develop his relationships among the team.

“Guys said after some of the games, ‘Just imagine how much easier it would have been with you out there,’” Speed said. “Watching them, seeing what they did and how they did it definitely made me a smarter player… I definitely picked up some things and will incorporate some of the things I saw this year into my game.”

Ready for a repeat championship next year, Deen stays positive after this successful yet turbulent season. Deen said, “[I have] no remorse, my team came out on top…at the end of the day, that’s most important.”

Contact Eric Halleran, photo-journalist, at ehallera@jccc.edu.